Trolley system for freight bracing bulkhead assemblies

ABSTRACT

Two embodiments of freight bracing bulkhead assemblies incorporating improved trolley structures for supporting the bulkhead assemblies for movement along a cargo area and for precluding disengagement of the trolley assembly from the supporting crane rails and for precluding falling of the bulkhead assemblies from these crane rails. In each embodiment the trolley structure includes roller means that supportingly engage a pair of spaced overhead tracks and which are disposed outwardly of the locking pins at the corresponding sides of the bulkhead. The overhead tracks have a generally C-shape and the roller supporting means includes a member that extends in close proximity to the uppermost track leg to preclude inadvertent displacement of the trolley structure relative to the track.

United States Patent [191 Williams TROLLEY SYSTEM FOR FREIGHT BRACINGBULKHEAD ASSEMBLIES [75] Inventor: Gerald H. Williams, Detroit, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Evans Products Company,

Plymouth, Mich.

221 Filed: Sept. 1, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 176,973

[ June 26, 1973 Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Attorney-J. KingHarness, Ernest A. Beutler, Jr. et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT Two embodiments of freight bracing bulkhead assembliesincorporating improved trolley structures for supporting the bulkheadassemblies for movement along a cargo area and for precludingdisengagement of the trolley assembly from the supporting crane railsand for precluding falling of the bulkhead assemblies from these cranerails. In each embodiment the trolley structure includes roller meansthat supportingly engage a pair of spaced overhead tracks and which aredisposed outwardly of the locking pins at the corresponding sides of thebulkhead. The overhead tracks have a generally C-shape and the rollersupporting means includes a member that extends in close proximity tothe uppermost track leg to preclude inadvertent displacement of thetrolley structure relative to the track.

5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures mmnnmzsms 3.141.127

sum 1 0f 4 INVENTOR PAIENIEDmas 1915 3.741; 127

% INVENTOR.

TROLLEY SYSTEM FOR FREIGHT BRACING BULKHEAD ASSEMBLIES BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to a trolley system for freight bracingbulkhead assemblies and more particularly to improved trolley systemsthat preclude accidental falling of the bulkhead assembly from theoverhead supporting tacks.

In the freight transportation field various systems have been proposedfor holding the shipped freight against movement during transit. One ofthe better known types of such bracing devices is the bulkhead assembly.These assemblies comprise large doors or bulkheads that are supportedfor movement along the length of the vehicular cargo area upon overheadcrane rails or tracks. A trolley structure is normally used forsupporting the bulkhead assemblies upon these tracks. This supportingarrangement should permit free movement of the bulkhead assembly topreselected bracing positions. The structure should also insure againstinadvertent displacement of the trolley structure from the rails andattendant falling of the bulkhead assembly. Various arrangements havebeen proposed for this purpose.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide animproved and simplified trolley system for a freight bracing bulkheadassembly.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bulkhead trolleysystem that will insure against inadvertent disengagement from thesupporting crane rails.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is adapted to be embodied in afreight bracing bulkhead assembly that is supported for movement in acargo area between selected freight bracing positions upon a pair ofspaced tracks. The bulkhead assembly includes a bulkhead and a pair oflocking members that are supported at the opposite upper edges of thebulkhead for movement between a locked position and a released position.The locking members have means adapted to cooperate with the tracks whenthe locking means are in their locked positions for retaining thebulkhead in position. Roller means are carried by the bulkhead at itsoppositeupper edges outwardly of the center of the bulkhead from therespective locking members. These roller means are also adapted toengage the tracks for supporting the bulkhead for movement along thetracks.

Another feature of the invention is adapted to be embodied in a freightbracing bulkhead assembly of the type generally described in theimmediately preceding paragraph. With such an arrangement the track hasa pair of spaced apart legs and the roller means are adapted to engageone of these legs. The support for the roller means includes an elementthat is juxtaposed to the other of the legs of the track so as topreclude disengagementof the roller means from the track.

Yet another feature of the invention is also adapted to be embodied in afreight bracing bulkhead assembly. In connection with this embodimentthe track has a pair of angularly disposed legs. The locking members ofthe bulkhead coact with one of the legs and the roller means aresupportingly engaged with the other track leg.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with aportion broken away, of a freight bracing bulkhead assembly constructionin accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the upper left-hand corner of the bulkheadassembly shown in FIG. 1 with a further portion broken away.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view take along the line 33 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view, in part similar to FIG. 2, showing a second embodimentof the invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The Embodiment ofFIGS. 1 through 4 A freight bracing bulkhead assembly constructed inaccordance with a first embodiment of the invention is identifiedgenerally by the reference numeral 11. The bulkhead assembly 11 isparticularly adapted for bracing freight during transportation in avehicle such as a railroad car. The bulkhead assembly is supported formovement along the car upon a pair of overhead tracks or crane rails 12and 13 in a manner which will become more apparent as this descriptionproceeds. As will also become apparent, the bulkhead assembly 11includes a locking structure that cooperates with the crane rails 12 and13 and with a pair of floor mounted tracks 14 and 15 for locking thebulkhead assembly in preselected bracing positions. This lockingstructure includes upper locking pin forgings l6 and 17 and lowerlocking pin forgings 18 and 19, positioned at their respective cornersof the bulkhead assemblies. The locking pin forgings 16, 17, 18 and 19are operated simultaneously by means of any type of actuating mechanismknown in the art. The lower locking pin forgings 18 and 19 havedownwardly extending pin portions that are adapted to enter pairs ofspaced openings 21 formed in the floor tracks 14 and 15. In a likemanner, the upper locking pin forgings 16 and 17 have a correspondingcooperation with the crane rails 12 and 13 as is clearly shown in FIGS.2 through 4. These figures show the structure at the upper left-handside of the bulkhead assembly. The construction at the upper right-handside is the same and for this reason will not be described in detail.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 2 through 4, the crane rail 12 has agenerally C-shape that is comprised of a vertically extending leg 22, ashort, horizontally extending upper leg 23 and a longer, horizontallyextending lower leg 24. The leg 23 is adapted to be affixed to the roofstructure of the associated vehicle in any known manner. The leg 24 isprovided with pairs of spaced openings 25 into which pin portions 26 and27 of the locking pin forging 16 are adapted to extend when the forging16 is in its locked position. When in its released position, the pinprojections 26 and 27 are clear of the apertures 25 so as to permit freemovement of the bulkhead assembly 11. As may be seen from an inspectionof FIGS. 2 and 3, the pin projection 27 is truncated, for a reason whichwill become more apparcut as this description proceeds.

A trolley or timing shaft 28 extends across the upper edge of thebulkhead assembly 11 and is journaled at its opposite ends in bearings29. The bearings 29 are each affixed to a supporting plate 31 whichsupporting plate is adjustably connected to the bulkhead assembly in amanner to be described. Sprocket wheels 33 are non-rotatably affixed tothe opposite ends of the timing shaft 28 and have teeth that are engagedwith apertures 34 formed in the track leg 24 outwardly from the centerof the bulkhead assemblies from the apertures 25. Adjacent the apertures34, the sprocket wheel 33 is formed with a roller portion 35 thatsupportingly engages the upper surface of the track leg 24. The

sprocket wheels 33 coact with the tracks 12 and 13 to establish a timingrelationship between opposite sides of the bulkhead assembly 11 and toassure against cocking of the bulkhead assembly 11 as it is moved alongthe cargo area, as is well known in the art. Because the sprocket wheels33 are disposed outwardly from the center of the bulkhead assembly 1 1relative to the locking pin forgings 16 and 17 insurance will beprovided that the sprocket wheels do not become inadvertently displacedfrom the track openings 34. The timing shaft 28 is aligned with thelocking pin'projection 27 and for this reason the projection 27 istruncated so as to preclude interference.

To further prevent inadvertent displacement of the sprocket wheels 33from the track leg 24 a safety member 37 is affixed to the outerperipheral edges of the bulkhead assembly 11 in a position underlyingthe track leg 24. The safety member 37 prevents upwardmovement of thebulkhead assembly sufficient to permit the disengagement of the teeth ofthe sprocket wheels 33'from the track apertures 34.

In order to provide further safety features and to facilitate convenientmovement of the bulkhead assembly 11 along the cargo area a second pairof rollers 38 (FIG. 4) engage the track leg 24 at a point longitudinallyspaced from the sprocket wheels and rollers 33 and 35. The rollers 38are journalled on stub shafts 39 which are, in turn, carried by avertically extending leg 41 of an L-shaped member. The verticallyextending leg 41 meets a horizontally extending leg 42 which leg isaffixed, as by welding, to the supporting plate 31. The leg 42 closelyunderlies the track leg 23 and provides further insurance againstinadvertent displacement of the trolley shaft sprocket wheels 33 fromthe tracks 12 and 13. For additional reinforcing, a gusset plate 43 maybe welded to the L-shaped member having the legs 41 and 42 on to theplate 31.

The adjusting plate 31 is formed at its lower end with a cylindricalbore 44 through which a complementarily shaped portion 45 of anadjusting shaft 46 extends. The adjusting shaft 46 has cylindricalportions 47 and 48 disposed on opposite sides of the portion 45 whichportions are journalled in plates 49 and 51 of the bulkhead assembly.The axes of the cylindrical portions 47 and 48 are eccentricallydisposed relative to the axis of the portion 45. As a result, rotationof the adjusting shaft 46 will change the distance between the mainportion of the bulkhead assembly 11 and the elements carried at theupper end of the plate 31; that is the sprocket wheel 33 and rollers 35and 38. This adjustment may be made to compensate for installationmisalignment of the crane rails 12 and 13. The adjustment is made byrotating the shaft 46 by engaging a suitable tooling with a flattenedportion 52 of the adjusting shaft. The adjusting shaft is located in itsadjusted position by means of a set screw 53.

The Embodiment of FIGS. 5 through 7 A second embodiment of the inventionis adapted for use in a bulkhead assembly in connection with itssupporting arrangement. Only the upper left-hand corner of thisembodiment has been illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 7 since except forthe upper support this embodiment is the same as that previouslydescribed.

The bulkhead assembly 111 is supported from an overhead pair of tracks,only one of which is shown and which identified generally by thereference numeral 112. The track 112 has spaced horizontally extendinglegs 113 and 114 which are joined by a vertically extending leg 115 soas to provide a generally C-shape for the track 112. The track leg 114has spaced pairs of apertures 116 into which projections 117 and 118 ofa locking pin forging, indicated generally by the reference numeral 119,are adapted to extend when the locking pin forging is in its lockedposition.

As in the preceding embodiment, the pin projection 118 is truncated soas to clear a timing shaft 121. The timing shaft 121 is journaled inbearings 122 carried by adjusting plates 123 that are adjustablyconnected to the bulkhead assembly 111 in the same manner as in thepreviously described embodiment. Because this structure is the same, itwill not be described again in detail.

Sprocket wheels 124 are non-rotatably affixed to the opposite ends ofthe timing shaft 121 and have teeth that engage apertures 125 in thetrack legs 114. The apertures 125 are disposed outwardly from apertures116 from the center of the bulkhead assembly 111. A safety member 126 isaffixed to the bulkhead assembly 111 and underlies the track leg 114 soas to prevent disengagement of the teeth of the sprocket wheel 124 fromthe track leg apertures 125. A roller section 127 is also formedadjacent the sprocket wheel 124 for supportingly engaging the uppersurface of the track leg 114.

The inner edge of the track leg 114 is formed with an upstandingprojection 131. A roller 132 (FIG. 7) is engaged with the upstandingprojection 131 at a point longitudinally offset from the axis of thetiming shaft 121. The roller 132 is journaled on a stub 133 which is, inturn, affixed to the plate 123. The cooperation of the roller 132 withthe track leg 131 provides further rolling support for the bulkheadassembly 111 and further insurance against cocking.

A safety member, indicated generally by the reference numeral 134 iscarried by the shafts 133 and 121. The safety member has a verticallyextending leg 135 that extends toward the track leg 1 14 and behind itsupturned projection 131 to insure against transverse movement of thebulkhead assembly 111 relative to the track 112. In addition, the member134 has a short, horizontally extending leg 136 that underlies the trackmeans 113 to further prevent against vertical displacement of thesprocket wheel 124 from the track leg 114.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description is that ofpreferred embodiments of the invention. Various changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A freight bracing bulkhead assembly for bracing freight at selectedpositions in a cargo area and supported for movement between saidpositions on a pair of spaced longitudinally extending tracks, each ofthe tracks having a pair of vertically spaced horizontally extendinglegs, said bulkhead assembly comprising a bulkhead panel, a timingshaft, hanger means for journalling said timing shaft and for supportingsaid bulkhead panel from said timing shaft, sprocket wheels nonrotatablyaffixed to the opposite ends of said timing shaft and engaging thelowermost legs of said tracks, safety members affixed to said hangermeans and having a first horizontally disposed leg extending from saidhanger means in juxtaposition to the lowermost surface of the uppermosttrack leg for preventing vertical disengagement of said sprocket wheelsfrom said track lowermost legs and a vertically downwardly extendingportion formed at the outer terminus of said horizontally extendingportion, and roller means journaled by said vertically extending portionof said safety means and engaging said lowermost track legs forassisting in the suspension of said bulkhead hanger from said tracks.

2. A freight bracing bulkhead assembly as set forth in claim 1 furtherincluding locking members supported at the opposite upper edges of thebulkhead panel for movement between a locked position and a releasedposition, said locking members having means adapted I to cooperationwith means on the tracks when said locking members are in their lockedpositions for retaining said bulkhead assembly in position.

3. The freight bracing bulkhead assembly of claim 2 wherein the lockingmembers comprise locking pins aligned with the axis of the timing shaft.

4. The freight bracing bulkhead assembly of claim 3 wherein the lockingpins aligned with the timing shaft are truncated to clear said timingshaft and further including second locking pins spaced from the firstlocking pins.

5. A freight bracing bulkhead assembly as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe hanger means is adjustably connected to the bulkhead panel forsimultaneously adjusting the position of the timing shaft, the sprocketwheels and. the roller means relative to said bulkhead panel.

1. A freight bracing bulkhead assembly for bracing freight at selectedpositions in a cargo area and supported for movement between saidpositions on a pair of spaced longitudinally extending tracks, each ofthe tracks having a pair of vertically spaced horizontally extendinglegs, said bulkhead assembly comprising a bulkhead panel, a timingshaft, hanger means for journalling said timing shaft and for supportingsaid bulkhead panel from said timing shaft, sprocket wheels nonrotatablyaffixed to the opposite ends of said timing shaft and engaging thelowermost legs of said tracks, safety members affixed to said hangermeans and having a first horizontally disposed leg extending from saidhanger means in juxtaposition to the lowermost surface of the uppermosttrack leg for preventing vertical disengagement of said sprocket wheelsfrom said track lowermost legs and a vertically downwardly extendingportion formed at the outer terminus of said horizontally extendingportion, and roller means journaled by said vertically extending portionof said safety means and engaging said lowermost track legs forassisting in the suspension of said bulkhead hanger from said tracks. 2.A freight bracing bulkhead assembly as set forth in claim 1 furtherincluding locking members supported at the opposite upper edges of thebulkhead panel for movement between a locked position and a releasEdposition, said locking members having means adapted to cooperation withmeans on the tracks when said locking members are in their lockedpositions for retaining said bulkhead assembly in position.
 3. Thefreight bracing bulkhead assembly of claim 2 wherein the locking memberscomprise locking pins aligned with the axis of the timing shaft.
 4. Thefreight bracing bulkhead assembly of claim 3 wherein the locking pinsaligned with the timing shaft are truncated to clear said timing shaftand further including second locking pins spaced from the first lockingpins.
 5. A freight bracing bulkhead assembly as set forth in claim 1wherein the hanger means is adjustably connected to the bulkhead panelfor simultaneously adjusting the position of the timing shaft, thesprocket wheels and the roller means relative to said bulkhead panel.